What does "Milk" mean in the Bible?

Milk not only of cows, but also of camels, sheep, and goats, was used in Palestine, and is often spoken of in the O.T. Milk appears in 43 verses across 18 books of the Bible.

Canaan was described as a land flowing with milk and honey · © Nandhinikandhasamy, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

What does the Bible say about Milk?

MILK, not only of cows, but also of camels, sheep, and goats, was used in Palestine, and is often spoken of in the O.T. Gen 32:15; Deut 32:14; Prov 27:27; Isa 7:21-22. The simplest spiritual food or the plain and easy truths of the gospel, wherewith the newborn soul is nourished and sustained, is compared to milk. Heb 5:12; 1 Pet 2:2. "A land flowing with milk and honey," Josh 5:6, means a country of extraordinary fertility. The phrase "wine and milk," Isa 55:1, denotes all spiritual blessings and privileges.

Definition text: Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible · 1898. Public domain.

Compiled by Protos: the verse list on this page. Where one name belongs to more than one person or place, each of them gets a separate entry.

What is the Hebrew word for Milk?

Hebrew · H2461

חָלָב

cha.lav

milk

TBESH, STEPBible, licensed CC BY 4.0.

Where does Milk appear in the Bible?

Milk is referenced in 43 verses across 18 books. Every passage below is about this one, not just every verse the word turns up in.

Deuteronomy 8 Isaiah 4 Numbers 4 Exodus 3 Ezekiel 3 Song of Songs 3 1 Corinthians 2 Genesis 2 Hebrews 2 Judges 2 Jeremiah 2 Proverbs 2

1 Corinthians 3:2
1 Corinthians 9:7
1 Peter 2:2
Deuteronomy 6:3
Deuteronomy 11:9
Deuteronomy 14:21
Deuteronomy 26:9
Deuteronomy 26:15
Deuteronomy 27:3
Deuteronomy 31:20
Deuteronomy 32:14
Exodus 23:19
Exodus 33:3
Exodus 34:26
Ezekiel 20:6
Ezekiel 20:15
Ezekiel 25:4
Genesis 18:8
Genesis 49:12
Hebrews 5:12
Hebrews 5:13
Isaiah 7:22
Isaiah 28:9
Isaiah 55:1

Showing the first 24 of 43.

Open all 43 references in Protos

What else appears in these passages?

These turn up in the same passages as Milk.

Honey Mother Egypt Wilderness Fruit Wine

Common questions

How many times does the Bible mention Milk?

Milk appears in 43 verses across 18 books, most often in Deuteronomy, which accounts for 8 of them.

Which books of the Bible mention Milk?

Deuteronomy, Isaiah, Numbers, Exodus, Ezekiel, Song of Songs, 1 Corinthians, Genesis, and 10 more.

Where can I read every verse about Milk?

This page lists 24 of them. Protos carries all 43, and opens this entry on the verse you are reading rather than in a separate tab.